Eastern Esoteric Symbols

Many profound and important symbols have arisen from Eastern philosophy and religion. Illustrated and discussed here are just a few symbols from the wisdom teachings of the East, including Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Zen. From the flawless simplicity of yin-yang, to the extempore enso, perfect in its imperfections, these symbols have much to offer the seeker on any spiritual path.

Om is the most venerable Hindu symbol of spiritual knowledge and the root sound of Creation, the expression through which all things were formed and which continues to permeate everything. Its form incorporates all states from the material to the infinite, and repetition of the syllable Om as a mantra and meditation on the Om symbol are preeminent ways of realizing the Divine.

Yin-Yang is a dynamic and harmonizing symbol representing the cyclic fluctuations and interactions of the two polar energies that cause, perpetuate and transform all things. Together they are the complementary expressions of the supreme ultimate, t'ai-chi, the eternal Tao. The dots in the symbol, each located at the fullest point of its polar force, show that the culmination of yang contains the seed that will change it to yin, just as yin contains the seed of yang.

The Enso is a Zen symbol of the true nature of existence and enlightenment. It is a popular subject in Zen painting - drawn in a single brushstroke, it mirrors the state of mind of the painter. The Enso is never a mathematically correct circle and must be painted by human hand: its very imperfections make it a manifestation of perfection - it is perfect just as it is.

Created by Byzant, the points of the hexagram combine with the syllables of the mantra of Avalokiteshvara ("Om Mani Padme Hum") to form a potent symbol of balance, liberation and compassion. The HexagrOm has links with the bhava-chakra ("Wheel of Life"), and highlights the hexagram's melding of wisdom and compassion as the path to enlightenment.

Chinese is an ancient and influential language in which each individual word is given its own distinctive symbol or character. Early characters reflected the objects they represented, with symbols becoming more arbitrary as the language developed. The beauty and antiquity of Chinese characters make them attractive for meditative, decorative or talismanic use today.

Chinese astrology has its origins in the legend that Buddha called together all the animals in creation, but only twelve of them turned up. Buddha gave each of the twelve a year, in the order of their arrival, and so the twelve-year cycle of Chinese astrology began. The Chinese symbols for each of the twelve signs are shown here.